The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-23
INDIANA'S SCHOOL WORK.
Superintendent LaFollette COrrects State
ments About the Exhibit at Chicago.

The Sentinel of last Monday contained what
purported to be an interview with an Indiana
educator, in which the statement was made that
Indiana had not been creditaby represented in
in the display of school work exhibited at the
recent national convention of teachers in
Chicago, and that Superintendent LaFollette
did not, his predecessors did use the 81, 100
appropriated for his incidental and travelling ex-
penses, to prepare exhibit Mr.. LaFollette
returned yesterday from official trip through
the northern part of the State, and asked
by Journal reporter what he had to say about
tho assertions in the Sentinel interview.
THE truth is" said Mr.. La Toilette, ''the
pretended interview is bogus, and was, in fact.
founded upon request made of the Sentinel
reporter Saturday, to give special notice to the
exhibits of La Porte Lafayette and Rose Poly
technc Institute. they richly deserved. I
have since asked the reporter about the matter.
His reply was that 1t too good a chance
lose to make political hit. Observation-Disclosures
Hocomb called at my Office last Wednesday.
during my absence, and stated that he had
called at the Sentinel Office aud asked the editor
10 correct the misstatements but the latter mad
refused on the ground that it was not good poll
ties"
What are the facts as to Indiana's exhibit
and as to the appropria tons placed in your
hands for such purposesl'
The truth is directly opposed to the state
ments OF the Sentinel In the first place
was not superintendent during the past school
year, but entered upon the duties of my Office
March To- at which time fully 90 per cent of the
schools in the State had closed. Until within
i've days OF that time no steps had been taken
IN the matter. Not q school in the State had
MADE any preparation TO participate IN the exhi-
bltion. except two city schools, as far as could
be learned by this department Quite number
OF the leading city schools replied TO letters of
inquiry that with such late notice it was impossi-
bile tor them TO prepare anything credltable
No notice or request TO prepare work
had been issued early in the
school year, and it too
late TO obtain work from the county schools
which had closed. Instead of 5000, stated by
that gentleman, the amount appropriated for the
annual expenses of this Office is $400 and of this
latter sum there left on hands for the cur
rent year when l came in in March, just SIS. so.
l have already expended more than that sum
for post age alone and it will take al least 5000
more TO pay the postage for the year This will
have to come out of my own pocket. My travel
ing expenses will likewise greatly exceed the
amount left me by my predecessor Without
means 1t Is i'm possible to make a creditable
hiolt Indiana has participated in three exhib
It's, those of Philadelphia. Madison and New Or
leans. She also sent small collections of eXem-
piary school work the expositions CT
Paris and Rio Janeiro For all three
OF these exhibits special appropriations were
made by the Legislature. Indiana has made
serted. for the simple reason that but one ex-
hibit has ever been made in that connection be-
fore this year. At Madison. in 1854 Indiana
made very creditable State exhibit but 1t is
no dlsparAgement TO that exhibit a misrep-
resentatlon OF the facts to say that the indie
pendent eXhi bit of the Indiana cities at Chicago
was larger and more COMPLETE than that at